a medical librarian's adventures in evidence-based living

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This year, I'm celebrating the holidays at home, with friends. My kids will be doing the same in Washington, DC & St. Louis. We'll have to wait until Thanksgiving to all be together again.

Sometimes you just have to transform the traditional. Holiday fare doesn't always have to be brisket and matzoh ball soup.

Holidays can't always be celebrated with your family. You can transform humble fare like rice, beans and squash into something truly spectacular.

And if your family lives out-of-town, your friends can be transformed into family.

"Find a way to be grateful for what you do have."

-Transforming Traditions, HHLL Oct. 8, 2009-

First Comes the Reflection Part - Food for the Soul

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur are kind of like "report card time" for grown-ups. Like a cosmic "Employee Evaluation"--but we have to grade ourselves. And who's comfortable doing that?

In fancy words, it's the season of self-examination of one's spiritual, physical, interpersonal and communal responsibilities.

So, another year's gone by, and how am I doing as a wife, mom, grandmother, sister, friend, sister-in-law, employee, neighbor, acquaintance? Have I done a single thing to make life better for someone else? Gee, I sure hope so. But, goodness knows, I've fallen short. Many times.

And then comes the really tough squirmy part, when we're supposed to think about who we may have knowingly or unknowingly hurt, offended, embarrassed, wronged, disappointed, been unavailable for, slighted, ignored, cheated or worse--and then take responsibility for any wrongdoings by asking that person(s) for forgiveness.

Uhh, that's a whole lot easier said than done, right? Sure, it's not so hard to come up with a whole laundry list of where we messed up or fell short. But, it's a whole other ballgame to actually ask someone for forgiveness. It's just not something most of us are used to doing. How awkward. How difficult. How uncomfortable & embarrassing.

I can’t stand to flyI’m not that naiveI’m just out to findThe better part of me

-Superman, Five for Fighting-

The cure of the soul begins with a sense of embarrassment, embarrassment at our pettiness, prejudices, envy, and conceit; embarrassment at the profanation of life.

This a a long-time family favorite of mine and a crowd-pleaser for meat-eaters & vegans alike. It's a room temperature main dish salad with brown, wild, & basmati rice, that's chock full of dried fruit, pecans (sure, substitute walnuts), & fragrant fresh herbs, like mint, basil, & parsley. Mmmm. What an original combo!

And then comes the secret ingredient that turns it into a main dish: Grilled Field Roast Apple Sage Sausages.

It's all dressed in a garlicky, lemony creamy cashew dressing.

No, it's not low-fat, nor is it Esselstyn-approved, but, it's a special holiday dish that everyone will love. At least I hope so. Click here for the recipe--I recently revised it.

This soup is a subtle-tasting creamy pale green delight, made with fennel, leeks, spinach & vegetable broth. My friend Dick, a talented cook, has been making this soup for years. This is a no-oil version of a 1997 Bon Appetit Passover recipe. It's always a holiday favorite & is so much better with matza balls than plain old "chicken" broth.

Dr. J's version of matza balls are just perfect--and the only kind of no-oil & no-egg matza balls that don't fall apart. Follow her directions EXACTLY.

This is a thick, hearty, easy-to-make mushroom barley soup that I've been making for over 20 years, long before I started eating plant-based. I still have the yellow, faded newspaper clipping it comes from. Perfect for Rosh Hashanah.

This "feeds-a-crowd traditional brisket substitute" is really Susan Voisin's Meatless Loaf (of Fat-Free Vegan fame), and it's glazed with Ellen Allard's Maple Sauce. We all enjoyed it last Thanksgiving--but, it will definitely work for Rosh Hashanah or Erev Yom Kippur. I've also made Ellen's "Meatless Loaf" many times--and it's every bit as delicious as Susan's. My co-worker, Mary, had a hankering for meat loaf this weekend, & just happened to bring Susan's Meatless Loaf leftovers into work yesterday---and trust me on this one--this recipe is a winner. You can use Susan's Mushroom Gravy recipe --or use left-over roasted triple mushroom soup as gravy. Delicious.

I'm hosting a Break Fast at my house, and I definitely plan to make a double batch of Cathy Fisher's Tu-No Salad. I'm thinking of having bagels, sliced tomatoes, and avocado slices to go with it.

If I make something more than 5 times you better believe it's good! My St. Louis kids love Tu-No & even my non-tuna-eating son in DC loves Tu-No--which says a lot!

My gal pals loved it on our "into the woods" get-away. The Lab Rat loves it. And a plant-based pediatrician I know says it's now her favorite "bring-to-work-sandwich". If you haven't tried it, it's high time you did. I use real garlic & add 2 TBS of capers to it--but try it with dill, too. The kelp granules/powder really makes it! The recipe is here: http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2011/04/15/tu-no-salad-wraps/

Blueberry Peach Cobbler ala Cathy Fisher (My Slight Tweaks)

A Serving of Blueberry Peach Cobbler

The perfect dessert ending for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur--Blueberry Peach Cobbler. Hmm, I guess you could try this with apples, too! It's the end of the summer, and the last of the summer fruits. This is made with neither sugar or fat, yet it's sweet with a just-right crumbly oat crust. You can find my slightly tweaked version of Cathy Fisher's cobbler here.

So there you have it! Just a few suggestions for your upcoming holiday meals, with a few of my favorite recipes. It's always hard to choose.

Whether you're celebrating the New Year now--or in January--may you all have a Happy, Healthy, Sweet New Year.

Much of the good in this world comes when ordinary people have the courage to do the right thing--in spite of the risks to their reputation or financial security. In spite of ridicule, dismissal, censure, or pressure from family & friends. It's so much easier to leave things as they are, and not make waves.

-This one's from me--based on the articles, movies, & even the cookbook author mentioned in this post-

If you received this post via email, click here to get to the web version with all the links.

I probably won't have much time to post over the next 10 days. I'm going to play & hang out with our gorgeous 19-month old "little man".

So, I'm leaving you with some homework to do while I'm gone.

I've got four articles for you to read. Two have certainly set my head spinning--and two have cleared things up nicely for me. Now I want to know what you think of them.

I'm also leaving you with four movies to see. All four are true stories about ordinary people who did what they knew was the right thing to do. It would have been a whole lot easier to sit back, stay at home, give up, or shut up. Oh, and I'm also giving you a link to some excellent thought-provoking movies for grown-ups. It's cold, the days are short--the perfect time for a delcious dinner & a movie night.

I've got a good recipe, too! A rib-sticking-nutritious-comfort soup based on a Mark Bittman creation.

All the articles--the movies--and even the recipe could be posts of their own. But, I've run out of time--got some grandson book shopping to do, plus some laundry, some packing, and a whole lot more..

The Homework Articles

The New York Times Interviews Dr. T. Colin Campbell--"Nutrition Advice from the China Study" 1/7/11. Click here for this quick read interview by NYT writer, Tara Parker-Pope.

Campbell's a man who has stellar academic & research credentials--but he's put them all on the line, risking censure & reputation--to speak out about the damaging toll our American diet is taking on our health. The U.S. meat & dairy boards wish he'd just shut up & go away.

"Six years ago a small Texas publisher released an obscure book written by a father-son research team. The work, based on a series of studies conducted in rural China and Taiwan, challenged the conventional wisdom about health and nutrition by espousing the benefits of a plant-based diet.

To everyone’s surprise, the book, called “The China Study,” has since sold 500,000 copies, making it one of the country’s best-selling nutrition titles. The book focuses on the knowledge gained from the China Study, a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine that showed high consumption of animal-based foods is associated with more chronic disease, while those who ate primarily a plant-based diet were the healthiest."

Vanity Fair, January 2011. "Politics - Deadly Medicine," by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele. Click here for the article. My sister-in-law said I had to read this one. She was right. Disturbing, to say the least. I've passed it on to some doctor friends to get their opinions--is this truth, or just an over-exaggerated scary story to sell magazines?

I would love to hear what Dr. Steve Nissen has to say about it. But, this much I do know--if the piece is true, the only way it could have been written was because of the courage of those insiders who chose to do the right thing--and speak out. Truth or lie? Or a bit of both?

"Prescription drugs kill some 200,000 Americans every year. Will that number go up, now that more clinical trials are conducted overseas—on sick Russians, homeless Poles, and slum-dwelling Chinese—in places where regulation is virtually nonexistent, the F.D.A. doesn’t reach, and “mistakes” can end up in pauper’s graves? The authors investigate the globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, and the U.S. Government’s failure to rein in a lethal profit machine."

"Overall, deaths from F.D.A.-approved prescription drugs dwarf the number of people who die from street drugs such as cocaine and heroin. They dwarf the number who die every year in automobile accidents. So far, these deaths have triggered no medical crusades, no tough new regulations. After a dozen or so deaths linked to runaway Toyotas, Japanese executives were summoned to appear before lawmakers in Washington and were subjected to an onslaught of humiliating publicity. When the pharmaceutical industry meets with lawmakers, it is mainly to provide campaign contributions.

And with more and more of its activities moving overseas, the industry’s behavior will become more impenetrable, and more dangerous, than ever."

NPR's Living on Earth, "Sex and Endocrine Disruptors," by Ashley Ahearn, January 7, 2011.Click here for the story. Meet the physicians & lab researchers who are wondering if the ubiquitous chemicals in our environment may be causing serious changes to the reproductive systems of infant boys--and perhaps even affecting sexual orientation. These changes have been seen in frogs & fish for years--but what about in humans? Researchers in this field now have concerns that common synthetic chemicals might be responsible for feminizing effects, as well as genital birth defects in male children. An abnormality of the male infant genitalia--called hypospadias--is now the second most common birth defect in the country, behind heart defects. Is there a chemical connection?

AHEARN: Talking about problems with reproductive health is something society has never handled well. And perhaps because most hypospadias can be corrected with surgery, very few doctors have raised questions about the underlying causes of this birth defect.

But endocrine disrupting chemicals show up in almost 100 percent of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and many of these chemicals are known to disrupt normal reproductive system development in animals - think back to Tyrone Hayes' frogs here.

So I asked Dr. Theo Colborn, who's been studying endocrine disruptors for over 30 years, if she thought our environmental exposures could be affecting our reproductive health. Or more specifically, given what we're seeing with hypospadias, I asked her, do you think we are feminizing our baby boys?

COLBORN: I definitely do. I think there's a certain percentage that are definitely being affected and there's no denying it.

Manson is the principal investigator in the upcoming VITAL Trial, which is set to follow 20,000 healthy older men & women for 5 years--testing the health effects of daily taking 2000 IUs of vitamin D3 & 1 gram of marine omega-3 against that of placebos. Manson also took part in the Institute of Medicine's recent revision of the guidelines for vitamin D. She's an outspoken physician/researcher who carefully sifts through study minutiae before she comes to any conclusions. If you want an excellent, balanced, and thorough explanation of the vitamin D research, read this article. For more on the VITAL STUDY, click here.

"Although vitamin D supplementation appears to be a promising intervention for reducing risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases, existing evidence on its benefits and risks is limited and inconclusive. Recruitment is now under way for the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), the first large-scale randomized clinical trial of these nutritional agents for the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

3. Some observational studies indicate there may be a threshold for vitamin D intake above which there is no increase in benefit and which may increase risk.

4. The VITAL trial is currently randomizing 20,000 healthy older men and women throughout the United States to receive either 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) per day or placebo, as well as 1 g of marine omega-3 fatty acids per day or placebo, for 5 years."

The Movies - Ordinary People with the Courage to Change Themselves and Sometimes the World

Made in Denhagen

The remarkable, funny, and inspiring true story of women fighting for equal pay in a Ford Motor Company in 1968 England. Rita O'Grady is the woman of courage in this film. Click here to read more. I loved it!

The Fighter

A combination biopicture and dramedy that has us rooting for a working-class hero as he struggles to find his style in the ring and outside the ring within his dysfunctional family. Dickie Eklund and his half brother, Mickey Ward are the men with a more personal kind of courage in this film--the courage to change the direction of their lives and to stand up for themselves. Click here to read more. I loved it!

The King's Speech

An enthralling and heart-stirring biodrama about an unusual friendship that transforms the life and soul of King George VI of England. England's about to go to war against Germany, they're in the middle of the Depression, and the country is feeling anxious & dispirited. In the midst of this uncertainty, Prince Edward cavalierly gives up his claim to the throne, leaving his brother, Prince Albert, with no choice but to become King of England. Against all odds Prince Albert has the courage to accept the position--overcome a severe stutter--and take a key role in uniting and lifting up the spirits of his countrymen. Click here to read more. I loved it!

Forks Over Knives

This documentary film tells the story of the courage of Dr. T. Colin Campbell & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. Both have stood steadfast in their position that our Western diet is hazardous to our health--and that many of our present day chronic diseases are "nothing more than food-borne illnesses" that could be cured if only we'd change our diets.

Campbell & Esselstyn are both in their mid-seventies, and they are no longer beholden to any academic, medical, or governmental institutions--nor are they concerned about damaging their reputations--they are free to speak the truth. They aren't motivated by financial gain, or fame. They are unassuming, approachable, and motivated only by wanting to share what they have learned. They don't have to do this!

I've seen the film--and can say without a doubt, it's a must-see! It officially opens nationally in March 2011, but there have been previews all over the country. For an updated list of previews in your area, click here.

To read my summary of the film, "The Research-Based Documentary That Will Change the Way You Eat. "Forks Over Knives" The Story of Dr. T. Colin Campbell's China Study & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's Heart Disease Reversal Study. Getting Your Health Back on a Plant-Based Whole Foods Diet," click here.

For links to some top thought-provoking movies for grown-ups--those currently playing--and the best films of 2010--click here.

This recipe is based on one I found in Mark Bittman's, The Food Matters Cook Book. Bittman's a long-time food writer for the New York Times--and he's taken some courageous steps as a food writer in recent years. For a guy who make his living from food--writing, cooking and eating--Bittman risked a lot when he make a 180 degree change in his own eating habits.

"I've been eating like Food Matters--the title of this book's predecessor, a book that encourages us to concentrate on eating more plants and few animal products and processed foods--for three years. If you swap the basic proportions in your diet--increasing unprocessed fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains--you'll wind up losing weight and improving your overall health while also improving more difficult-to-measure situations like global warming, the environment in general, and animal welfare." Mark Bittman

Miso Soup with Bok Choy, Soba Noodles, and Tofu (or salmon) click here for a copy of the recipe on one page

2. Prep the tofu. Drain the water from the package, and cut the block into thirds, horizontally. Wrap the three slices in a tea towel & put a heavy pot or weight on top of it to press. After 30 minutes, cut each slice into 4 triangles, & spread one side with the sauce of your choice.

3. Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook until tender but not mushy, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and rinse the noodles with lots of cold water until cool.

4. Put 4 cups of vegetable broth into the pot, along with the 2 cups of reserved "noodle liquid", and set it to boil again--you'll have 6 cups of liquid.

5. Heat up a stove-top grill pan on high, and when it's hot, add the tofu triangles, sauce side down. Spread top of tofu with sauce. Watch carefully--it doesn't take too long for the tofu to nicely brown (as shown). Flip when the tofu is browned with grill marks. If using salmon, sprinkle with seasoning & either pan-fry without oil, or grill it. Tofu won't stink or smoke up your kitchen! Trust me on this one.

6. When the water in the pot is almost boiling, put the miso in a small bowl, ladle in a cup or so of the heated broth, and whisk it until it's smooth.

7. When the broth is boiling, add the bok choy stems to the pot and let them cook for about a minute. Add the bok choy "ribbons" and continue cooking, adjusting the heat so the soup bubbles steadily, until the bok choy gets silky, 3 to 5 minutes more.

8. Turn the heat down to low, pour the miso mixture into the pot along with the soba noodles, and heat just long enough to warm everything, only a minute or two. Taste, adjust the seasoning.

9. Serve the soup immediately, topping with 3 tofu triangles each (or 1/4 of the salmon), and sprinkle with sesame seeds, and scallions.

September 26, 2008

Did you know that 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye
contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice)? That
means only 7% involves your actual words. And when the spotlight is on
you- whether one-on-one in an interview or when making a presentation
to a large group—you need to communicate effectively on all levels.

-Carmine Gallo, a corporate presentation coach-

According to Joe Navarro, this picture of Barack Obama shows he is very confident. His legs are splayed & his neck is tilted.

Is he confident? Is he nervous? Is he telling the truth? Is he telling us the whole story? Does he really know what he's talking about? Does he agree with me? Does he like me?

Like it or not, non-verbal communication often counts more than our actual words. So here is a Play Book to interpret the upcoming debates, contain some of your own body language foibles, and figure out just what your co-workers are really saying. Maybe.

Joe Navarro is a body language expert who worked for the FBI for 25 years, helping to chase down spies & criminals by decoding their body language. According to Navarro, there are certain body language behaviors that we can't fake. They're limbically-derived, emotionally-based and they are hard-wired into our brains and bodies. By the way, Joe now makes a living teaching poker players how to read their opponents' expressions, and master the Poker Face.

Here are Joe's Top Body Language Maneuvers & What They Mean

Covering the eyes. You heard something you didn't like. Even blind children will do this. Joe says this is "paleocircuitry of the brain"--it's a built-in protective device.

Closing the eyes and delaying when asked a question. You didn't like the question you were asked. Cindy McCain has done this.

Biting the lip. It's a pacifier, to calm you down.

Leaning away from someone. You either dislike them or disagree with them.

Leaning toward someone. You like them or agree with them.

Shoulder moves up towards the ear. Shows lack of confidence.

Touching the neck, or fooling with a necklace. You have some issues or concerns, or there is something you are uncomfortable or insecure about. When a physician or lawyer sees this, it's a good indicator that the person has more to say.

When people mirror each other's behaviors-they face each other. They are getting along--they're in agreement.

In a true smile the facial muscles are relaxed and the corners turn up to the eyes.

In a fake public smile, the corners will turn up toward the ears.

Holding your chin. This demonstrates you are are a pensive, thinking person. Not at all glib. Navarro sees this quality in Barack Obama's body language.

Pursed lips-the lips disappear. Corners of the lips turn down. This is an indication of high stress-extreme stress. Hillary Clinton exhibited this when she announced she was no longer running for president.

Folding the arms in front of the chest, rubbing the back of the neck, fidgeting. These are primitive self-protective behaviors to shield us or soothe anxiety.

Hands on hips. A maneuver to establish dominance or to communicate that you have "issues".

Joe Navarro takes the position that many of our behaviors are instinctive and can't be faked without a great deal of training.

Carmine Gallo, a corporate presentation coach, makes a living out of teaching people to use the kind of body language that will make them look confident, honest, knowledgeable and engaging. So, be forewarned! According to Gallo, we can "train our body language". Certainly McCain and Obama have been "body-language-coached". To see a slide show of "The Silent Language of Success",click here.

To read Gallo's story in Business Week, "It's Not Your Mouth That Speaks Volumes. Stance, gestures, and eye contact are all essential to effective presentation, whether for public speaking or a job interview", Click Here.

Carol Kinsey Goman, PhD. is a professional executive coach who has some additional insights into how to read the candidates' body language--eye blinks, micro-expressions, hand gestures & breathing patterns. Take a look here.

September 13, 2008

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." -Daniel Patrick Moynihan-

"Candidates have been fudging facts to attract voters for 2,500 years.”

-Brooks Jackson, Director of the Annenberg Political Fact Check"-The political climate out there is getting nastier & nastier. It's divisive, dirty, and downright depressing. It's easy to get sucked into the mud-slinging. As a librarian my advice is to get your facts checked out before your make decisions, and before you spread information that may be incorrect. And just because a political ad says its information comes from FACTCHECK.ORG--"It Ain't Necessarily So". Check it out yourself!

"After the candidates speak, FactCheck.org goes to work digging up the
raw, unbiased material that fuels op-eds and settles kitchen-table
arguments."

This site is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. This is what they're all about:

"We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews,
and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both
journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and
understanding.

The Annenberg Political Fact
Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the
University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and
philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of
scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address
public policy issues at the local, state, and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding
from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying
organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg
Foundation."

Enough said! This is my own unpaid political announcement as a librarian who just wants to get the facts straight! Make factcheck.org a habit.